BBC cut its usual afternoon schedule as news broke that the Queen was under medical supervision at Balmoral. Buckingham Palace issued a statement at 12.32pm on Thursday (September 8) saying royal doctors were concerned for health.
They said the head of state was comfortable and her royal physicians recommended she remain under medical supervision, as the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Cambridge and the Duchess of Cornwall cleared their diaries and immediately headed to the Queen’s home in the Scottish Highlands.
It has since been confirmed that the Queen's other children, Princess Anne and Princes Andrew and Edward, are all heading to Balmoral alongside Princes Charles and William. The Duchess of Cambridge is understood to have remained in Windsor as it’s the first full day of school for Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.
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This afternoon, BBC pulled Bargain Hunt off air and replaced it with rolling news coverage following Buckingham Palace's statement. The show is typically broadcasted weekdays on at 12:15pm to 1pm on BBC but was removed to announce that officials had released a statement regarding the Queen's health.
A Palace spokesperson said: "Following further evaluation this morning, the Queen’s doctors are concerned for Her Majesty’s health and have recommended she remain under medical supervision. The Queen remains comfortable and at Balmoral."
BBC suddenly pulled the programme less than 10 minutes into the scheduled show where one of the programme's newsreader then delivered the news. "Welcome to viewers on BBC One," she said. "We have had news from Buckingham Palace that the Queen is under medical supervision at Balmoral."
TV critic and broadcaster Scott Bryan tweeted the moment and said: "Here is how BBC One interrupted programming to report on The Queen’s health."
News of the monarch's health came after the 96-year-old pulled out of a virtual Privy Council on Wednesday, a day after appointing Liz Truss as PM at Balmoral Castle. New Prime Minister Liz Truss has said: "The whole country will be deeply concerned by the news from Buckingham Palace this lunchtime” adding “my thoughts – and the thoughts of people across our United Kingdom – are with Her Majesty The Queen and her family at this time”"
The Queen has had ongoing mobility issues and looked bright but frail and used a walking stick during Tuesday’s historic audience with Ms Truss, which followed a visit from outgoing prime minister Boris Johnson as he tendered his resignation.
Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle interrupted the speech of SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford during the energy debate in the House of Commons to tell MPs: "I know I speak on behalf of the entire House when I say that we send our best wishes to Her Majesty the Queen and that she and the royal family are in our thoughts and prayers at this moment."
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